Help, I have worms...I need your advice!

[CakeMakesMeHappy]

I am mortified. I work with children and have two of my own and someone somewhere along the line has shared thread worms with me.

I am also 10 weeks pregnant. Been to see the GP today and the best she could offer me was an anti-histamine to make me sleepy as I’ve slept so badly this week.

So, apart from rigorous cleaning, what are your top tips to kill them!

Oh god what a nightmare. I don't think there is anything being clean will do to help you, but obviously will not spread it round your family. Wear underwear to bed, your towel should be for your sole use & lots & lots of handwashing. I got the below from google.

You poor thing I really feel for you.

Expectant mums shouldn't take medication for threadworms in the first trimester of pregnancy, but if it becomes necessary in the second or third, there is a drug that can be prescribed.

Oh god I had this in pregnancy too. I used to stick a load of Vaseline on my bum hole in the evenings , it seemed to lessen them slightly. I did then get a dicky tummy after a couple of weeks and I pooed so much that it washed them all out. It wasn’t a particularly glamorous phase.

I feel for you. They’re bloody itchy little bastards.

I’ve de-wormed the whole family (and grandparents for good measure!) so hopefully it’ll just be me to worry about and I can break the cycle.

I am exhausted though.

GP did mention that if I really can’t shift it that I could take it once I get to 13 weeks but wasn’t keen. Was unclear if it’s because it’s unsafe or just un tested. 6 weeks seems an awfully long time 😭

without being too graphic you can remove the odd 1 or 2 when you're itchy at night by straining slightly like you're pooing then wiping slightly inside.

I think I’m past TMI here.
I’ll take any tip going! 😂

Meowth I was contemplating a good dose of my 2 year olds lactulose!

You did get rid of them though in the end?

Being clean will help :- it's a cycle with worms so if you can avoid the eggs getting back into your system you can get rid of them with our medicine but you'll need to:-
Keep all fingernails really short in the family
Be completely obsessive with hand washing for all
Wear pants to bed to stop the spread of eggs and first thing in the morning use a baby wipe to clean round your bum- they tend to wriggle out at night and lay eggs around your bum
Hoover constantly and every couple of days wash all throws, sofa covers etc
Wash bedding on a boil wash as frequently as possible
Clean all plastic toys and stick all soft toys through the wash
Clean towels after every use

I’ve had success at getting rid of a mild case before but admittedly I was the only one infected (thanks to the kid I worked with I presume!) and had no kids of my own at the time. I made sure I changed our bedding regularly, wore clean, tight, underwear to bed, didn’t use the same towel twice, washed down the shower, bath etc after I’d used it, hoovered like nothing on earth, ironed everything in sight and made sure nails were super super short and scrubbed clean so often I thought my fingers might fall off. Took a couple of weeks but I was also newly pregnant so it was better than the alternative of waiting weeks and weeks on end to get the stuff from the docs. I think all the mental cleaning made me so knackered that I managed to sleep without the itchiness affecting me. Horrible little bastards they are.

Make sure you clean the toilet seat before and after each use.

Ok this is going to sound gross. But when you feel the itching. Grab a teaspoon, and scrape the spoon bit at the itchy bit and try and get the buggers out. I’ve done this before and it really works and means you don’t need the drugs.

Oh and bin the teaspoon once you’re done

Thank you all, lots of helpful advice!

I read a thing that said they feed off sugar so if you cut it out your diet it can greatly reduce them or rid them. Now that might be a lot of rubbish as I was reading everything because we have had them twice now because ds 10 bites his nails constantly and apparently hardly washes his hands at school. It really gives me the heebies and I go mad reading things on how to get rid of them faster than just medication

Sorry that was absolute jibberish, Its bath time in here so trying to write that while calling instructions, apparently they don't know the bedtime routine yet, or how to wash themselves 🙄

You could try this. It works.....

https://www.ehow.com/info120371322_grapefruit-seed-extract-kill-worms.html

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Higher-Nature-45ml-Citricidal-Liquid/dp/B000NRTWH2/ref=sr11fkmr033a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1551904498&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=Higher+measure+grapefruit

I've managed to get rid of them before by being really scrupulous about hand washing, keeping my nails short and scrubbing them with a nail brush, wearing knickers in bed, cleaning daily and changing sheets regularly, showering twice a day and plenty of Vaseline around bum at night.

I think I read somewhere that pumpkin seeds were effective? ( or was it sunflower seeds?!) It might be worth a google!

@Aurea that stuff works because it's really strong! I would avoid it in pregnancy - just because it's natural it doesn't mean it's safe, and there is no data on its use in pregnancy.

Don't stick a garlic clove up your arse. But there is a very funny Classics thread about someone similarly desperate if you would like to feel less alone.

I did actually take a dose of ovex when I was pregnant with DS2. He is fine and does not appear to be harmed. I just weighed up the chances and thought eh, it'll probably be fine. DH never fucking believes me when we get them so I have gone a bit mental with remedies at various times.

Short nails indeed for DC seem to be key - DS1 always brings them home when his nails are long.

Pumpkin seeds worked for me but it might have been a coincidence

Here you go:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/894121-to-want-to-quit-my-job-NOW-and-never-ever

If you take a packet of babywipes to bed and a carrier bag. You can use them to remove the glue during the night that causes the itching. Vasiline on thick might help as well.

Bertie Botts, DH has suggested just that after I said garlic is meant to be good. (Can’t try it though as also have morning sickness so makes me throw up!)

Pumpkin seeds added to my Tesco shop!! Eating lots of raw carrot too.

That thread has cheered me up! Thank you!

Antibacterial and wash the area.

It stings like a bitch but leave some there. Do the same in the morning as the worms only lay their eggs on the outside.

Im really feeling for you.

To know...what kind of anti bacterial? As in TCP? Or would an antiseptic wipe do the job?